Rain offers little help in fighting Table Rock fire
Mar 25, 2025
PICKENS COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) -- Crews are hard at work as the Table Rock State Park wildfire continued to burn on Monday.
The wildfire has burned more than 1,156 acres. So far, 0% of the fire has been contained.
The South Carolina Forestry Commission said around 100 crew members have been helpi
ng fight the fire.
“We’re trying to create what’s called a fire break where the fire will not pass me on that line so that’s essentially what they’re doing," said Madeline Stewart with the SC Forestry Commission.
The fire began on Friday, while Pickens County deputies were searching for Stephanie Womacks, a hiker who was last seen on March 3. Pickens County Sheriff Tommy Blankenship said the fire was started by the “negligent act” of a group of teenage hikers, and has cut short efforts to locate Womacks.
The sheriff added that there will be an increased amount of deputies on Highway 11 to help traffic keep moving. Deputies encouraged people to avoid unnecessary traffic on between West Gate Road and New Hope Road on the highway.
"If you must travel this corridor, please keep traffic moving so that it does not become necessary to set up detour routes to ensure the safety of citizens and first responders," the sheriff's office said.
All park trails, the White Oaks Campground, Lake Oolenoy, Lake Pinnacle and day use visitation are closed at this time.
Officials with the SC Forestry Commission said high winds, low humidity and debris leftover from Hurricane Helene have aided the fire's growth.
“It’s very steep terrain. There is a lot of what we call downed timber, blown debris, that has fallen because of Hurricane Helene. That just makes the conditions that much more difficult,” SC Forestry Commission Information Officer, Brad Bramlett told 7NEWS.
Greenville County Emergency Management said it is the first time in almost a decade that Greenville and Pickens counties have combines all their resources to fight a fire of this size.
Wildfires force closures of three state parks in South Carolina
Table Rock Fire
Acreage
1,156
Containment
0%
"Driving through that fire line and seeing what they had to sail through and then what the dozer had to push to the side, I mean it’s pretty indescribable," Stewart continued. "It was just so much and I can’t even imagine how much even a single tree weighs that they have to push to the side, but it is just so many it’s wild."
Rain that passed through the area Monday slowed down fire activity, but only by a bit. Fortunately, crews were able to construct fire lines in the area.
“We’re gonna keep working again," Stewart said. "Crews are still gonna work throughout the day today. Airdrops will continue tomorrow. I’ll be trying to do as much as we can to put the fire out.”
Officials have asked residents living close by Table Rock State Park to evacuate the area, but said residents are not in immediate danger.
The SC Forestry Commission said fire activity is expected to increase overnight into Tuesday to to low humidity and high winds. Fire crews will be in the area.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, has approved federal funds to help with costs incurred by the Table Rock fire and Persimmon Ridge fire.
Greenville County Emergency Management said donations for the fires can be dropped off at the Holly Springs Fire Department at 2235 Moorefield Memorial Highway in Pickens.
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